tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-347236842024-03-05T13:40:25.750+05:30Reflections - Fiction and PoetryI tell stories about various things in life through fiction and poetry. I am a regular human being with stories to tell and memories to create.Amitha Singhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00225895299473610610noreply@blogger.comBlogger144125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34723684.post-35400569081313379512022-04-13T20:23:00.001+05:302022-04-13T20:26:09.407+05:30Your Legacy Begins When your Story Ends<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii0rDSLBTSJ6mex6TaEs6M5Jph557NZUR_AUx4YUoDUxL5waf5DmB6XihOtie_3ps57-6acESXm26SuojrXnU-a42I6xtv48ZND_1RBwoVoc54GzwgaqgaG-aS7bEDRv9NWmaJlapDqBYGyh-tpzb2YOiD7tlmFvXtHKStgou_h8dUmYiEZA/s1280/278469840_10159418220580804_365189286224403137_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii0rDSLBTSJ6mex6TaEs6M5Jph557NZUR_AUx4YUoDUxL5waf5DmB6XihOtie_3ps57-6acESXm26SuojrXnU-a42I6xtv48ZND_1RBwoVoc54GzwgaqgaG-aS7bEDRv9NWmaJlapDqBYGyh-tpzb2YOiD7tlmFvXtHKStgou_h8dUmYiEZA/w640-h360/278469840_10159418220580804_365189286224403137_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Today, as I remember my mother on her birthday, I am compelled to share this story. A story of my ancestry; a story about women who stand up for other women; a story about pure grit; a story of my existence; and a story that explains where my mother got her drive, her relentless and persistent nature and her never-say-die attitude.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I had heard my mother speak in jest about her father, my maternal grandfather (my naana-ji), who’d always mention to my grandmother (my naani), “If you had not given me a son as my first born, I would have left you just like your father left your mother. I am a Rajput, and it is my right to leave my wife if she didn’t give me a son as a first-born.”</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I knew my great grandmother (we would call her pad-naani) and have very fond memories of her. She was a lean, tall and strong boned woman with high cheek bones, a gorgeously brown complexion and deep, pressing eyes. She lived alone, fiercely independent, in a little village till the day she died in 1981. I was 6 years old when she died but I distinctly remember her and her nice little shop that she ran from the window of her home in the village. She’d sell knick-knacks to all the little children in the village; most of whom never paid for what they “bought”.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">As a child, I didn’t pay much attention to my grandfather’s statement, and years became decades till quite suddenly my mother passed away in June of 2020. As I went through the process of grieving, even before I could come to terms with this vacuum left behind by her absence, within 10 months, my father passed away from a brain stroke that he suffered from, on mummy’s birthday last year in 2021.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">My desire to connect with who my parents were and where they came from increased insatiably. This led me to a long conversation one day with my mother’s younger sister, my aunt. My grandfather’s sentence from eons ago popped up in my head and I questioned her about it. What I found out was a gem, a true jewel in my ancestry.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">My maternal grandmother, Krishna Bai, was the first born, and obviously being a girl, her father (my great grandfather) rightfully as a “Rajput” left his wife (my great grandmother, Dharma Bai) the very day my grandmother was born. The year was 1931. 3 days after childbirth, Dharma Bai passed away. My grandmother was left alone in the world, in a society that didn’t much care for girl children.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">That is when a great miracle of a lady, Dharma Bai’s sister, took it upon herself to become a single mother, in 1931! Her name was Heera Bai, the only woman I knew as my great grandmother. She went against the entire family and the society, and even left her husband who didn’t support her on this. Heera Bai, true to her name (which means diamond) dedicates her life to bringing up this 3-day old little girl. She went on to nurture and nourish all my 4 aunts when, ironically, she noticed that my grandmother didn’t want to take care of any of her daughters. My mother resisted going to live with Heera Bai because she was very fond of her dad, my grandfather.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Heera Bai’s action to stand up and protect a woman gave rise to 3 generations in our family and countless positive impacts on society!</span></p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">This is change;</span></div></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">This is who I am;</span></div></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">This defines me;</span></div></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">This explains to me</span></div></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Who my mother was.</span></div></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Heera Bai is the reason</span></div></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">My grandmother survived;</span></div></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The reason my mother came into existence;</span></div></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The reason, today I exist.</span></div></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">No one in our family remembers the name of the great man who left his wife and then never came back for his little girl when his wife died 3 days later. But today, by sharing this I am hoping to immortalize the name of this jewel in my family, Heera Bai.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">This has helped me understand a lot of things. Here are 3:</span></p><p></p><ol style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">The best version of yourself is in you, you just have to dig a little deeper.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">Your actions have an impact far beyond you.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">Your legacy begins when your story ends.</span></li></ol><p></p>Amitha Singhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00225895299473610610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34723684.post-39831742120065791992017-10-16T11:25:00.000+05:302018-10-09T11:52:55.507+05:30The Fun Young Swing<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjqB_wXjQiWluLlN14PZyRdHsdbq5T0l9g1KXpDrZjLzQMczaVK7G5xC4P7atb7HHVW-84_-z0lDV8vTHYOjvA7jPYQjkc8iwQ_9GuWlZepOS-l4K9lrBPrGvkN-gPdT66lcOc/s1600/The+Fun+Young+Swing.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="560" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjqB_wXjQiWluLlN14PZyRdHsdbq5T0l9g1KXpDrZjLzQMczaVK7G5xC4P7atb7HHVW-84_-z0lDV8vTHYOjvA7jPYQjkc8iwQ_9GuWlZepOS-l4K9lrBPrGvkN-gPdT66lcOc/s1600/The+Fun+Young+Swing.png" /></span></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Sunny skies, flowers
in full bloom</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Children in the
park, filled with happiness and laughter.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I looked at them and
pleaded as I creaked</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Slowly in to motion,
feeling a gust of wind.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Come here and sit on
me,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I’ll take you to
great heights,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As I fill you with bubbly
laughter</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Through every link
in my chains.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Suddenly darkness!
Clouds gathered in gloom,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Dark figures filled
the park, a lonely silhouette-</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A shape shifter
stood out;</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I looked on in
dread, fear spreading</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Through every link
in my chains; my seat, stiff</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">From the day’s work;
Aching I looked on,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Pleading with
unseeing eyes,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Don’t come near,
don’t sit on me.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I know you’ll take
me under, deep</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Into cavernous
places;</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">You’ll break my
chains, detach me</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">From reality; you’ll
break my seat</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Until nothing but
splinters remain.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I can feel your
sweaty face,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Your ravaging hands,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The weight of your
large base</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Tearing through my
planks.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I can feel my chains
giving way,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Tearing away from
the reality</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">That is mine, your
weight pulling me down;</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Your breath acrid
fills my very being</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As I fall deep in to
the abyss</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Of a never-ending
universe;</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Filled with
darkness, the voices of beasts,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The smell of
disgust, the taste of a thousand</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Fetid corpses; an
eternity of this.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I know you’re gone,
now that morn has come;</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">But I dread the
evening sun;</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Bringing with it the
shape shifter, that silhouette,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">That destroyer of
dreams, that killer of innocence.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Here I am, a fun
young swing</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Destined to spread
laughter,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">To take children to
newer heights;</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">But your abuse leaves
me broken and</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Desolate, snatching
the laughter</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">From every child who
walks the park. Ever.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Note: I wrote a prequel to this poem "<a href="http://amithasingh.blogspot.in/2007/04/give-me-strength.html">Give Me Strength</a>" back in 2007. Ten years later I had to revisit it and make it mine once again.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
Amitha Singhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00225895299473610610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34723684.post-57995996998001277172017-10-10T12:09:00.000+05:302017-10-10T12:09:33.327+05:30Robin<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOO6h-TVWnVdMHTWw8kV58gRxqDHPyEVxnqHuhWbWy92uLjGKjYyARJTHLh-cHazogeZciNbqFysOGzz1TJxlLbLWZQkKTPFqtvzps08Hr_UdSFQxNDUI1pM4i4j7-6mnYXd37/s1600/Robin+-+Title.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="560" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOO6h-TVWnVdMHTWw8kV58gRxqDHPyEVxnqHuhWbWy92uLjGKjYyARJTHLh-cHazogeZciNbqFysOGzz1TJxlLbLWZQkKTPFqtvzps08Hr_UdSFQxNDUI1pM4i4j7-6mnYXd37/s320/Robin+-+Title.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The most humorous and
the least likely to succeed they said,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As they voted,
huddled together, in Larkspur;</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Like conspirators
defining the lines on my palm.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I stand here looking
back at the blur,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The blur my life may
have been;</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And all I can do is think
to myself, did I make her laugh enough?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Plump, alone and
craving her smile,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I put on a voice, a funny
one I’d like to think,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And looked her way,
did I make her laugh at all?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I put on another
voice and another and another.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">That is where it all
started,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">No, not in Larkspur-
it began my dear</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In my very own Windy
City, decades back.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Computer games and
video games,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">They came and they
went;</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The voices, they
grew;</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">They grew every day,
in numbers</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And in tone.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One little spark of
madness, a gift I treasured,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Was it really the
source of all the gladness?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Or was it what
spread in to darkness?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One little spark of
madness, I wouldn’t lose it,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This I said to
myself, I’ll admit.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Between “The World
According to Garp” and “Mork and Mindy”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I had to say goodbye
to my good friend… John</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At Chateau Marmont
Hotel in Angeltown.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As I made you laugh
and drew you in to the center of</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The narratives of “Patch
Adams” and “Bicentennial Man”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I had to lend my
voice for “Blame Canada” for a missing Mary.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One little spark of
madness, a gift or a curse?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One little spark of
madness, I wouldn’t lose it,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This I said to
myself, I’ll admit.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The world seems
dark,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But I will fight it
out.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yes, I think I will.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The voices grow,
louder and louder;</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Fighting loud whispers
and strange tongues</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">All I can do is
think to myself, did I make her laugh enough?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Did I make you laugh
enough?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="color: #999999; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Note: </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
</div>
<ol style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="color: #999999; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">The reference to John is John Belushi (Robin Williams
and Robert De Niro were the last stars to see John Belushi alive, albeit on
separate visits to Bungalow #3 of the Chateau Marmont Hotel in Los Angeles on
the day Belushi died of a drug overdose in March 1982.)</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #999999; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Mary refers to Mary Kay Bergman. When
"Blame Canada", a song from South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut
(1999), was nominated for a Best Song Academy Award, it was Robin Williams who
performed the song at the ceremony because the actress who sang the song in the
film, Mary Kay Bergman, had committed suicide a few months prior to the awards
show.</span></span></li>
</ol>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Read also <a href="http://amithasingh.blogspot.com/2014/08/the-world-seems-dark.html">The World Seems Dark</a></span></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></o:p></div>
</div>
Amitha Singhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00225895299473610610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34723684.post-9043529416550358722017-10-04T11:26:00.000+05:302018-10-09T11:52:55.563+05:30The Red Dot (2)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQU2xCjnvJPY1lc5AJoMdbrAf0CvKKtmET6xt7Ne2mYaiEZE1aiY5zuYn0qJwENVxFBvs0iHQjgbGl-53ERtcBPcPL4685GOs5ieiqnyFIaG6g74mStHCWa6hfXohYkVjpUzFz/s1600/The+Red+Dot+-+Title.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="560" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQU2xCjnvJPY1lc5AJoMdbrAf0CvKKtmET6xt7Ne2mYaiEZE1aiY5zuYn0qJwENVxFBvs0iHQjgbGl-53ERtcBPcPL4685GOs5ieiqnyFIaG6g74mStHCWa6hfXohYkVjpUzFz/s320/The+Red+Dot+-+Title.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: 0in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: 0in;">Jokes about women’s
bodily functions are not funny. Period.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">She could eat to her
heart’s content, but step in to the kitchen, she shouldn’t, they said.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">She was banned.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Banned from entering
the kitchen.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Banned from entering
the temple.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Banned, for she was
impure.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Banned, for she was
unhygienic.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Banned, for she was
unclean.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Banned, lest she
contaminates the pickle.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: 0in;">
<i><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">[Voices of Ancestors]<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Bury your clothes
lest evil spirits take over them!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">No curd for you,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">No tamarind for
you,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">No pickle for you.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Summers playing <i>gully</i> cricket,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Laggori</i> and hide-and-seek too.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One day it stopped;
Abruptly, stopped.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">She was free one
day, tied down the next.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: 0in;">
<i><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">[Voices of Ancestors]</span><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Suffer the
bloating!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Suffer the cramps!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You shall stay in
one corner of the house;</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Suffer the misdeeds
of your past!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">No exercises for
you.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">No walks in the
park.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">No. No. No.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Laggori </i>and hide-and-seek too</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">She could now see
through her window;</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">She was free one
day, tied down the next.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Running wild...
wearing shorts and shirt; and a stick in hand.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: 0in;">
<i><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">[Voices of Ancestors]<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And no… no bathing
for you.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You shall remain…</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Unclean. Impure.
Unhygienic. A contamination.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">She could now see
through her window;</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Children laughing
aloud for every joke cracked,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Running wild...
wearing shorts and shirt; and a stick in hand;</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And suddenly they
said, be lady-like.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: 0in;">
<i><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">[Voices of Ancestors]<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You are cursed.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You will remain
cursed.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Don’t you touch the
holy cow.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Lest you make her
barren</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">With your cursed
touch…</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Unclean. Impure.
Unhygienic. A contamination.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Children laughing
aloud for every joke cracked,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jokes about women’s
bodily functions are not funny. Period.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And suddenly they
said, be lady-like.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It all started with
a single red dot.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What about school?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: 0in;">
<i><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">[Voices of Ancestors]<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">No. Never.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Those days are
over.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">No school. No. No.
No.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">She was adorned with
jewelry, flowers and fine clothes;</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Paraded in front of
neighbours and relatives alike.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: 0in;">
<i><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">[Voices of Ancestors]<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Take this old piece
of cloth</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Treasure it. You
will only get one.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Wash it. Sun dry it.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When it is as hard
as leather</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Use it to soak up
your impurity.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Paraded in front of
neighbours and relatives alike.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Beautiful as a bride
behind a beatific child’s face;</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Rest is a must, on
these days every month, they said.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">She was soon easily
bored.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But it hurts… it
burns…</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: 0in;">
<i><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">[Voices of Ancestors]<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Suffer the misdeeds
of your past!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Your soul remains…</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Unclean. Impure.
Unhygienic. A contamination.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But, is she not a
part of you?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">How then can she be
impure?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Are you also impure?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Unclean? Unhygienic?
A contamination?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: 0in;">
<i><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">[Voices of Ancestors]<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ha! We are not you</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We are the maker of
rules.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We had ‘us’ too</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Telling us what to
do.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Your soul remains…</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Unclean. Impure.
Unhygienic. A contamination.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It all started with
a single red dot.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The hatred of being
born a woman</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Flowed, but
naturally.</span></div>
</div>
Amitha Singhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00225895299473610610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34723684.post-23745873699160560472017-09-19T13:31:00.003+05:302018-10-09T11:52:55.424+05:30The Privileged Indian Male<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim5_JnpD4h224Bosa2YJU49mPVK3e9Au7eVRmPs1pRC8PZWGfSrXIJdeb310-c6_nvGHWp9ukxBVs0z3BmP_s10AjldbnEkcwt3mznb3JQXMqFCTotPWuwx2bB_X5cuNosZdcA/s1600/The+Privileged+Indian+Male+-+Title.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="286" data-original-width="560" height="163" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim5_JnpD4h224Bosa2YJU49mPVK3e9Au7eVRmPs1pRC8PZWGfSrXIJdeb310-c6_nvGHWp9ukxBVs0z3BmP_s10AjldbnEkcwt3mznb3JQXMqFCTotPWuwx2bB_X5cuNosZdcA/s320/The+Privileged+Indian+Male+-+Title.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am not you.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am not you.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For… I am a
privileged Indian male.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I was but a bubbly
toddler when I first heard,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“Oh no, let him be,
he is a boy…”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I was but an acne’d
teen when I first heard,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“Here, I will wash your
plate.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I was but a confused
youth when I first heard,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“Boys will be boys,
let him play a while more.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I was but a wobbly
toddler when I first heard,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“Look how he pushes
and fights! He is a boy…”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I was but a hormonal
dude of a teen when I first heard,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“You must be hungry,
let me cook you something.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I was but a raging
drunk youth when I first heard,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“He is after all a
boy, he is supposed to be this way.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I was but a drooling
toddler when I first heard,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“Lucky for you, he
is a boy…”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I was but a silent
teen when I first heard,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“Home Science? That’s
not for you; cooking and what not!”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I was but a
temperamental youth when I first heard,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“Be a man! You can’t
let girls affect you like that!”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">These voices, they
grew; all around me,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">They grew every day,
in numbers</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And in tone.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The voices were
always there… </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Each of them
feminine,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">An aunt. A mother. A
sister.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A grandmother. A
cousin.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A mother-in-law. A
wife.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A sister-in-law. A
mother.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">An aunt. A
grandmother.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">All feminine. Mostly
feminine.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I hear them speak
the same words.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The same words from
decades ago.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">They speak it to my
son.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">They speak it to my
nephew.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">They speak it to my
little brother.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Why?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Why can’t you stop?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I don’t want.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I don’t want to</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Be defined.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I don’t want.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I don’t want to</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Live… live the life</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Of a privileged
Indian male.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You make me lean on
you.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You make me
incapable</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Of looking after my
needs.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You never set me
free.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yet, you treat me
like</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am privileged.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I want these voices
to stop.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Can you make them stop?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I can feel my chains
giving way,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Tearing away…</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">From the reality
that is mine,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Weighed down by your
words.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I don’t want.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I don’t want to</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Carry this burden.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I don’t want.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I don’t want to</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Love… love the life</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Of a privileged
Indian male.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 1.0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;">[Female voices of ancestors in loud whispers
and strange tongues]</span><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 1.0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Innocence. Tie she
up. Kill she. My boy. Want boy. No she want here. Please see me. Destroyer of
dreams. My boy. Want boy. Jewelry… pretty, we like. Parade she front of
neighbours and relatives. My boy. Want boy. Red dot, we no like. Hate we be woman.
Sit she down. Tie she up. Give she away. My boy. Want boy. </span></div>
</div>
Amitha Singhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00225895299473610610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34723684.post-1869084020529045502017-05-17T16:08:00.001+05:302017-05-17T16:58:20.521+05:30The Stirrings of an Ineffable Soul<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">She closed her eyes,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As she felt every part of her being</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Immersed in a consciousness, alien to her.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The voices in her head, faint whispers</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">To begin with, rose to a cacophony,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As the consciousness reached</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A crescendo of its own!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Suddenly, it was all over;</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">She could hear the crash of silence</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Against her pining soul.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A silence so loud, she wished</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">For the cacophony of the voices</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In her head again.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Unknown to her, every bit of her soul</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Transformed, mutated and altered</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">To soak in the silence,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Silently creating a sound of its own.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Exhausted, she lay, waiting</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Patiently, for the pain,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The angst and the clarity</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Of the unknown.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">She relinquished her ego;</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">She relinquished her name;</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">She welcomed the unknown</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">With open arms and</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Closed eyes.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In darkness of the sun,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It crept up on her,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Shrouding her being,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Purifying her soul,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Lightening her mind,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Brightening her body, and</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Freeing her dreams;</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Until all there was left</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Was a single unity;</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">An unknown one.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There was no her;</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There was no soul;</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There was no light;</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There was no pain;</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There was only</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The pureness of being.</span></div>
Amitha Singhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00225895299473610610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34723684.post-58767476816014603502016-09-16T11:59:00.003+05:302016-09-16T11:59:47.091+05:30No More...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">If you gave me something today,</span><br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I would give you something for tomorrow.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">If you broke it tomorrow,</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I would give you something for the next day.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">If I thought you'd give me something today,</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I would dream of what I'd give you tomorrow.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">If I thought you'd break it tomorrow,</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I would dream of something to give you the next day.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">If I saw you breaking something I gave you ever,</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I would stop giving you anything...</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Today, tomorrow and forever.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Right here, right now, it's just a muddle of words;</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Contradicting emotions and</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Ramblings on a September afternoon,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Nothing more, nothing less.</span></div>
</div>
Amitha Singhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00225895299473610610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34723684.post-81123989345700860182016-06-13T15:51:00.002+05:302016-06-13T15:53:49.519+05:30A Teenage Girl's Open Note to Sunil Gavaskar:<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This is something my 14 year daughter wrote as an essay for her English homework. The angst she has felt over 5 years comes out with deep clarity and she wants to do the best to make sure this reaches Sunil Gavaskar. Her hope is to ensure first that people like him are able to see and accept this as a deeply ingrained cultural problem for young girls; Second, that </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">someone in his capacity and influence in this sport does something to ensure girls from every part of the country have access to the same facilities and training that boys do with ease today.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">So without further ado here goes... </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-size: 16.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">An Open Note to Sunil Gavaskar:</span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Cricket. Some
believe this sport to be a religion, and others believe it’s a job that pays
for athletic people. I believe that cricket is a way of life for those who
choose this path. However, in this essay I will not be writing about the
details of how the game is played, but in fact, what women or girls face when
they choose to be cricketers. I believe that the hardships that these women
face are not related to sports but actually related to a cultural issue. There
have been several instances in my short life of fourteen years where I have
experienced such prejudice and I would like to discuss them as we proceed with
this topic.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I first fell in love
with cricket when I watched the ICC World Cup in 2011, and ever since, I
knew that this wonderful sport would play an important role in my life. Only
recently did I have an epiphany that I definitely want cricket as a life-long
career. An observation I have noted of in these past few years is that only
girls who have brothers are excused to play cricket in common society. If a girl
actually has an interest in playing cricket and wants to pursue this sport, the
next step is to enroll for a coaching camp. This process for boys is quite
simple. The parents check if the camp is close by and fees is moderately cheap,
and the deed is done. Whereas for a girl, the parents need to check if the camp
accepts girls, if it is close by and affordable. Quite commonly, if the camp accepts
girls, it is not at a convenient location or the fees are too high.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As the years go by,
and the girls have completed their education, they realize that cricket does
not pay the bills. Many women go through a decision-making point in their
lives. Their options are to either stop the pursuit of cricket and get a
full-time job or continue their cricket journey and get a part-time job; few women opt for the latter.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The strength that
all sportswomen possess, both mentally and physically is much more
well-balanced in comparison to men. These women go through years of bullying
and teasing, but they shine over the harsh words ultimately. I would like to
conclude this essay by addressing women who are breaking stereotypes all across
the globe:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“First they ignore
you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.”</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">-Mahatma
Gandhi</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">From,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Vedha (a hopeful 14 year old)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">NOTE: Here's a recent article in Deccan Herald that talks about this issue "<a href="http://www.deccanherald.com/content/551595/raising-sporty-girls.html" target="_blank">Raising Sporty Girls</a>"</span></div>
</div>
Amitha Singhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00225895299473610610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34723684.post-43177468692642024072016-05-25T13:14:00.004+05:302016-05-25T13:29:06.855+05:30The Journey<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Lost everyday</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In the mundane,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In the living;</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The soul gladdens,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Expands and accepts;</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">That which is lost,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Deep within us,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">At the center of the cosmos.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I look into myself - </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Surprised, amused and</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Nonchalant at what I see.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"This is being."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">She tells me.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I close my eyes,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">With my eyes</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Wide open.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I see myself</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As I unsee myself.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">What, you may ask,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Is this contradiction?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">You see, this is</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">No contradiction.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This, is coming undone,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">When you are so together.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Looking up, I see,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Truly see, the expanse</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Of the universe;</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Yours and mine.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Let's put a dent</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In this universe,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">That's neither yours</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Nor mine.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Let's be. Let's truly be;</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In this, here, now,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Together and alone </span></div>
Amitha Singhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00225895299473610610noreply@blogger.com0Austria47.516231 14.55007242.04268 4.2229235 52.989782 24.8772205tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34723684.post-87298908980557978112015-08-10T12:03:00.000+05:302015-08-10T12:03:16.035+05:30Crumbling Walls<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You saw me through
the veil,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Through a carefully
constructed</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Façade I had over my
face,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Until you reached my
core.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You became the
mirror I was afraid of,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Shining a bright
light in to my eyes.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Neither love nor
friendship</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ever gave me this feeling</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Of being bare;</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Completely and
utterly naked</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Face to face with
myself.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I wonder if you
truly see me,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Or is it still just
a reflection you see</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">That I have shown
the world…</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Every single day,
every single night?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Memories may fade,
of laughter</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And tears, of
happiness and sadness;</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But this cloudy
night will remain</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Even as the universe
dissipates</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Into another unholy
big bang.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I will stand still
remembering,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sighing and tearing
up but never crying.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">See me my dear,
truly see me</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Not today, not
tomorrow,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But in the multiple
nows</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">That make up life;
both yours and mine.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As the night turns
to day</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I will remain
standing here</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Gazing in to my own
eyes</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Seeing you see me,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Looking deep within,
with that familiar frown</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Adorning your face,
a faint smile</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Creeping into your
eyes.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yes, you see me, you
found me</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And now I am lost
unto myself.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I’ll stand right
here, mourning</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The death of a life that
could have been;</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Silently standing...</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: 0in;">Gazing in to my own
eyes.</span></div>
Amitha Singhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00225895299473610610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34723684.post-32091563090385720252015-05-20T05:57:00.001+05:302015-05-20T05:57:59.623+05:30Eternity<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The wind howls.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The skies bellow.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Deep inside, she trembles.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Drowning in the downpour,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">She is squished like a bug.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Years later she yawns</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And stretches, as she wakes up.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Her soul rattles in the aftermath</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Of a storm so long ago,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It seems but just a dream.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Gliding down from open skies,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">She lets the wind guide her.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Gently landing on a blade of grass,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">She melts into the earth;</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Lying down to rest... n</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">ow and forever.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br /></div>
Amitha Singhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00225895299473610610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34723684.post-57471784855233978692015-03-02T12:21:00.000+05:302015-03-05T17:03:22.997+05:30The Vagabond<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">An empty bottle by
my side;</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“The rum gone?!” I wondered,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“It was half full when
I lay it there last night.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And then I saw her dead,
by the roadside.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">She lapped it all up
through the cold night… that mutt!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="text-indent: 0in;"><a href="http://yeahwrite.me/micro-writing-challenge-203/"><img src="http://yeahwrite.me/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/microstories203.png" /></a></span></div>
</div>
Amitha Singhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00225895299473610610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34723684.post-63832660581342221362015-02-13T15:42:00.002+05:302015-02-13T15:46:06.770+05:30So, here’s the world, remade!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If I had to remake
the world, I would keep it just the way it is with just two changes. There is a
lot wrong with the world today but these two things are all I would change and
then hope that all other things wrong will sort itself out.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The problem with the
world as it is today began with the evolution of human beings. Food and shelter
being primary needs, humans began ravaging the earth to ensure that they
survived. In order to have control over resources where food and shelter was
abundant. There began a struggle to have and control more than others. As the
world transformed, those with more energy and power had better access to food,
shelter and more than is needed to survive.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The other problem
with the human race today that I would like to change stems strongly from inequality.
The foremost and oldest being gender inequality. Controlling women meant
increasing one’s tribe and thereby having more people to work and create more
wealth and thereby more power.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The first change in a
world remade…</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Imagine a world
where trees thrive.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Trees with leaves
that were solar panels;</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">An end to fighting over
food and energy.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Imagine a world
where trees thrive.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The second change in
a world remade…</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Imagine a world
where each human would thrive.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Both men and women
would bear children;</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">An end to power control
and rapes.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Imagine a world
where every human would thrive.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Oh yes, there is the
problem with population so…</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A human could bear a
child only once in their lifetime.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sorry, but that’s the
way it would be in a world remade</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Remade by me… Remade
by me…</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“So, here’s the world,
remade!” I would beam.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="background: white; color: #333333;">I am participating in the<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><a href="http://blog.blogadda.com/2015/02/12/be-the-creator-remake-the-world-india-today-conclave-bloggers" target="_blank" title="The World Remade"><span style="background: white; color: #b85b5a; text-decoration: none;">#TheWorldRemade activity</span></a><span style="background: white; color: #333333;">at<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><a href="http://www.blogadda.com/" target="_blank"><span style="background: white; color: #b85b5a; text-decoration: none;">BlogAdda</span></a><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background: white; color: #333333;"> </span><span style="background: white; color: #333333;">in association with<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span><a href="http://subscriptions.intoday.in/subscriptions/conclave/2015/registration.jsp" target="_blank" title="India Today #Conclave15"><span style="background: white; color: #b85b5a; text-decoration: none;">India Today
#Conclave15</span></a>. This is my take on what I would change if the
world was remade.</span></div>
</div>
Amitha Singhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00225895299473610610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34723684.post-35233214747041704732015-01-27T10:03:00.001+05:302020-04-08T10:20:17.998+05:30Birth of a Story. <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">She sat brooding; alone in a corner.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As the sunlight poured in breaking through a misty morning,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">She stretched a hand reaching out for particles of dust,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As they danced to their own rhythm; random to the world.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The warmth from the sun filled her soul,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Bringing with it a message from the universe.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"Go forth..." it said, "you are to spread this word."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"And spread it today. For tomorrow, will bring a new message."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Hurriedly she stood up and ran to her desk;</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Like a God she watched down at the desk,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Strewn with books and papers and pens and mugs,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A box of bills sat in the middle, staring back at her.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">With anger and frustration, she pushed everything down,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">With a smooth sweep of her hand, on to the floor.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A book and pen she picked from the mess,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And sat herself down on the chair.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Ne'er once did she move from the chair;</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Ne'er once did she come up for air nor water.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">She wrote and wrote until her tired eyes pleaded f</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">or light,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As twilight turned to dusk and burdened them.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And so a story was born.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And so a writer was born.</span></div>
Amitha Singhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00225895299473610610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34723684.post-82059465141077242502014-12-17T10:11:00.000+05:302015-02-12T17:25:23.892+05:30There Are No Monsters Under The Bed My Darling<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And so she went, this morning, like every morning.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Her hair tied up in two neat little ponytails,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A smile on her lips and a large, heavy school bag.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I smiled and waved out to her as she got in the bus.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My day was as ordinary as any other.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I had tea with friends and a book I read.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Not one to turn on the idiot box in the mornings,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I did so today, don't ask me why...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My heart sank as I saw a familiar building,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A building I saw at least four times a year</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At least two PTA Meetings..</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One Sports Day and an Annual Day</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And that was yesterday.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Today, my life is empty.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My soul is dead.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I feel nothing.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I do nothing.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I think nothing.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">She doesn't smile at me any more</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And I feel nothing.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am as dead as she.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am as dead as you.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13.6000003814697px; line-height: 14.7839994430542px;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">NOTE: This is my very small dedication to over a 100 little souls that were lost yesterday at the Army Public School in Peshawar, Pakistan killed by Taliban monsters in the name of religion. I cry as I write this yet I cannot refrain from writing it. There is nothing that can set this right. The world is not in order. Not one bit.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
Amitha Singhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00225895299473610610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34723684.post-63075000654568425912014-10-30T11:46:00.001+05:302014-10-30T11:46:44.332+05:30Ramblings About Fictional Characters<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I can never stop myself from getting into the world of characters in a book. That for me defines a well-written story. I just finished reading <a class="g-profile" href="https://plus.google.com/108452076941884518158" target="_blank">+Lisa Genova</a>'s Still Alice for a project I am working on and pretty much became Alice, feeling her journey and living her life in the two days it took me to finish reading the book.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My family and friends worry for themselves when I begin reading an intense book because my conversations usually revolve around issues the protagonist faces in the story. In some way reading helps discover new topics of conversations and makes even uncomfortable conversations easier to have such as mortality, life after death, spirituality, sexuality, parenting and more.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The challenge for a writer is to create characters that will be remembered long after the story is read and the book is back on the shelf or in the storage space of an iPad. Recently I was talking to someone who I know through an online group over the phone and in the middle of the conversation she said "Wait, aren't you the one who wrote the Bushaka stories? My daughter loved those stories and still talks about Bushaka" You can only guess how wide I was grinning. I think the high of writing fiction is when someone recognizes you in reference to the characters you have created. But the genius in creating epic characters like a Harry Porter or Percy Jackson in recent times for young audiences simply amazes me.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As I get back to writing my stories after this post, I am hoping that an unforgettable character is waiting to come alive through the screen while I type away frantically. The day feels perfect for the birth of a new fictional person.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you read this post, I would love to hear from you through your comments on fictional characters that have stayed with you in your life far longer than you though they would.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
Amitha Singhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00225895299473610610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34723684.post-6203346300895963002014-09-08T15:06:00.000+05:302014-09-08T15:06:05.544+05:30I Was To Write About Love<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As part of the Marathon Bloggers group on Facebook, I was to write on the topic of Love owing to the fact that it was Valentine's Day week/month. Firstly, I had to set aside a mind-block I have about such commercialized days which only benefits the Archie's of the world, before I could sit down to write this.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Love to me is a very complex emotion. An emotion that I am constantly unearthing in myself and defining as I travel through this life. For a very long time, I was in love with the concept of being in love and so it was easy to think I was in love over and over again, with family, with friends, with people I had just met and so on.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Over the years though, I know one thing for sure, I know how to figure out if I love someone. I know I love someone when <span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">I feel the intense need to protect them even when I am angry with them. This holds good for any relationship - as a mother, as a friend, as a daughter, as a partner, as a niece and as a sister.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>If that's the case, what emotion would be the opposite of love? I asked myself...</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">My answer - it is pure indifference. I know I do not love someone when there is a complete lack of empathy on my part towards the other person regardless of situations and circumstances. Followed by no guilt when I feel this way (or rather don't feel).</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">So, well when I started, I was to write about love but here I am understanding love by learning what love is not. As the journey continues, the definition of love for me will either get more pronounced, redefined or blurred. When I am really old and grey, may be the definition will not matter, may be the fact that I have been loved and have loved will be my definition of love. Until then this is it!</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span>
</div>
Amitha Singhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00225895299473610610noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34723684.post-46900192833164237452014-08-13T10:16:00.000+05:302014-08-13T13:34:31.439+05:30The World Seems Dark<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"The world seems dark!" He said to himself.</span><br />
<span style="color: #999999; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>"They'll never understand you." They whispered in his ears.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"I will fight it out!" He shouted aloud.</span><br />
<span style="color: #999999; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>"They don't need you." The whispers continued.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"They do love me." He said silently.</span><br />
<span style="color: #999999; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>"You are just a burden on them." The voices grew louder.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"They will be better off without me." He silently gave up.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">He walked for miles and reached a cross-road;</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">He sat on the side and looked up at the sky.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The sun shone bright behind dark clouds.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">All he could see was the darkness in the clouds.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">She walked up to him, slowly, purposefully...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">She lifted him up toward the sky;</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Took him beyond the dark clouds.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There it was... cotton candy clouds;</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">White, pure and glowing.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"This is just one side of the brightness."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"The other side is gloomy, I agree." She sang to him.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Back at the cross-road, he looked up at the sky.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">He saw the glow around the dark clouds;</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Bright light fighting its way around the gloom.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">He smiled and continued on a road that beckoned him.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">He walked on under cool shaded trees...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Over dried, fallen leaves.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"The world seems bright!" He said to himself.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"And I will walk on." He sang aloud.</span><br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">NOTE: This is my small dedication to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robin_Williams" target="_blank">Robin Williams</a>, a talented actor who is said to have lost his life battling depression. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: #f6f7f8; color: #666666; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 15.359999656677246px;">Please stay connected with people who care about you so they are able to raise red flags if they notice anything wrong with you especially your moods et al.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: #f6f7f8; color: #666666; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 15.359999656677246px;">Please stay connected with people you care about so you can watch out for them and raise red flags when you notice anything wrong with them. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: #f6f7f8; color: #666666; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 15.359999656677246px;">Depression is a disease and needs to be accepted and treated holistically. No one likes to be depressed but it is a condition. Luckily there is treatment available and somewhere the perception towards mental illness is changing for the better.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f6f7f8; color: #666666; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 15.359999656677246px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: #f6f7f8; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.359999656677246px;"><span style="color: #666666;">I am not qualified to diagnose depression but my life has taught me to look out for my loved ones.</span></span><br />
<span data-reactid=".a3.1:3:1:$comment10203623504284435_10203623874933701:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.0" style="background-color: #f6f7f8; color: #666666; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.359999656677246px;"><span data-reactid=".a3.1:3:1:$comment10203623504284435_10203623874933701:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.0.$end:0:$0:0">My learning has been to look for some or all of these tell-tale signs - constant talk of feeling hopeless and/or useless, change in appetite (eat too much and constantly or e</span></span><span data-reactid=".a3.1:3:1:$comment10203623504284435_10203623874933701:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.3" style="background-color: #f6f7f8; color: #666666; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15.359999656677246px;"><span data-reactid=".a3.1:3:1:$comment10203623504284435_10203623874933701:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.3.0"><span data-reactid=".a3.1:3:1:$comment10203623504284435_10203623874933701:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.3.0.$end:0:$0:0">at seldom and very little), insomnia or too much sleep (thereby increasing the feeling of hopelessness) and signs of very very low self-esteem.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
Amitha Singhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00225895299473610610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34723684.post-72877909819031342014-01-01T06:13:00.001+05:302014-01-01T06:14:17.672+05:30A New Dawn. New Words. Just For Today.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As I sit early this Wednesday morning,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The stories in my head find their own links,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And together they write themselves.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And I tell you, it's not so much writing</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As it is breaking my very own jinx.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As I pour myself a cup of tea,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Warm a chocolate cupcake too,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">These stories are dead,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The moment they are born.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's true!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Today as it is every day, is special,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Not because it is a new day;</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Nor because it is a new year;</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Because it is my connection</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">With the universe... now, here.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Tells me not to go astray</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Instead to just say</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What I've always wanted to say!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is a fine new day.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Dunno if it will be sunny,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Or may be the clouds will have their way...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This moment, now, here,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Is all I have at present</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And with this I am content,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">With this I shall stay content...</span><br />
<br /></div>
Amitha Singhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00225895299473610610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34723684.post-67072791841570409132013-12-08T13:56:00.000+05:302013-12-08T13:56:17.647+05:30What happened to Sita?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<h1>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #999999; font-size: x-small;"><i>A Work of Fiction</i></span></span></h1>
<div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #999999; font-size: x-small;"><i><br /></i></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="background: white; color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">She had always wanted a daughter but now… as she reminisced about
her life, she decided to change what she wanted. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">She came from a family where girls were brought up with respect,
were educated and despite most other kingdoms from around, were taught to speak
their mind and be part of decisions being made in the family.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">She was a miracle, they said, when she came in to her father’s
house. She was a blessing, they said. She was the apple of her father’s eyes,
they said. They gave her the status of a Goddess. As she grew older, her father
sat her down and pragmatic as ever had said “You my lovely daughter who goes by
the name of Sita, Maithili, Vaidehi and Janaki, do not let these names forget
who you are. Deep inside, you are the one who chose to be saved, so you can make
a change. Our land is filled with people who despise women, who don’t hesitate
to kill little baby girls, even their own daughters, in the desperate attempt
to bear sons. You my little one decided to push through the earth and hold my
hand. You are destined to reach out to the souls of people, now and for
centuries to come, to wake them from their deep slumber and help break away
from distinguishing children even before they are born. You, the one with the
gentlest of gentle souls, will guide people to be human first before they give
themselves or their children any tags.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">She was too young to understand what her loving father had said on
that sunny afternoon but today, as she was on the brink of motherhood, she
understood it all. Irony had brought her in to this family, a family known far
and wide for being just and right, yet a family that had encouraged all means
to justify one end; that of having a male heir so their family name may
continue to prosper.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Her husband, though a gentle soul himself, was born only because
his sister gave her life for him and his brothers. His sister was never spoken
about. No stories were told about her great sacrifice. She had drifted into the
unknown – unspoken and forgotten.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: #333333; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“I will bear you sons. Sons who will
remain unmarried, because no mother’s daughters will ever want to marry them
and become part of this family. It breaks my heart as a mother to know that my
sons will never know the joy of a woman in their lives, neither their mother
nor a wife or a sister. But this will end the cycle here and now. You, my great
husband will be known as a legend, as mythology. But alas! Your family name
will not continue because the family that does not respect its daughters will
only bring sadness and negativity around it. People will need to forget that
this family was ever real. They will be content in the belief that yours was a
great story and you a great ruler, a great king, a God even.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And so she bore two sons and left them in their father’s care as
she jumped into a crevice caused by a great earthquake… silently forgiving her
parents who showed her the path to the underground the day she was born.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
Amitha Singhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00225895299473610610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34723684.post-16273986430510817912013-11-18T14:44:00.003+05:302013-11-19T13:41:52.568+05:30A Moment of Nostalgia<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As the drums beat,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The <i>jal tarang </i>sends a silent note;</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In her world, the sound of the drum</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Is all she wants to feel.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Her soul stirs, as the crescendo</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Of the drums reaches her heart.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A drop of tear, she sheds,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Into the pool of emotions.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">She remembers the beat</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">From many moons ago...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When the sun had risen daily,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Casting his rays on her,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Shimmering on her skin;</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When innocence prevailed.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">She longed for that comfort...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The comfort of not knowing.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Today, she is wiser.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Today, she is stronger.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Today, she is happy.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Today, she is loved.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yet...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A drop of tear, she sheds,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Into the pool of emotions.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A sigh passes her lips,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As she gathers herself up</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For life... again.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
Amitha Singhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00225895299473610610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34723684.post-64748559414654503272013-10-04T13:49:00.001+05:302013-10-04T13:49:07.173+05:30Honest Open Smiles<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Can it be this tough?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Wearing masks all day long;</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Passing by the universe.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Every day. Every night.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Needs. Wants. Desires.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In that order please...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Make mine with</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A sprinkling of soul dust.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Rains feeding streams,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Leaves leaving trees,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Cups upturned in sinks,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Music. Laughter. Life.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Let the cookie crumble.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">These cookie cutters </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Were made all wrong.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Honest open smiles,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It isn't this tough!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Firewood gathered,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hunting done,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The roasting begins!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On this Friday noon,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Dream up your dreams.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It ain't tough at all...</span></div>
Amitha Singhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00225895299473610610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34723684.post-52054805735317227902013-08-29T18:39:00.000+05:302013-08-29T18:40:10.215+05:30Humdrum<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Humdrum, a word I love...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It paints a picture of buildings and nests</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Of pathways and forests.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Why it plants this tune in my mind,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I can't say.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">On this Thursday eve...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">As twilight threatens to disorient the mind,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Humdrum, just plain humdrum.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Why this world seems all right,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I can't say.</span><br />
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Amitha Singhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00225895299473610610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34723684.post-71103269390574950922013-08-14T08:40:00.001+05:302013-08-14T08:40:35.930+05:30Bushaka Loves Mangoes!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You all know Bushaka, the little lion cub with adventure in his heart and a shine in his lovely big eyes! This is a story of how Bushaka met Sundari, the Bandari. Since it was a bright and sunny day, Bushaka thought it would be fun to go on a picnic with his <i><span style="color: #999999;">beshtesht</span></i> lion friends Shimbuka and Kashimbu.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">They each got something to add to the picnic. Bushaka brought along his favourite juicy mangoes, Shimbuka's father made delicious dosa rolls, Kashimbu's aunt packed two jars full of Kokum juice. The three of them, with tiny little picnic baskets in hand headed off to a mountain with tall grass laid out like a really, really thick carpet. Being lions, they loved to hide themselves in the grass.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">They had a big colourful bouncy ball which was red, blue and yellow! They played the "Jump over the right colour" and the "Bounce with the ball" games for hours together. After a while they were all thirsty so went to the spot under a Peepal tree where their two jars of juice and all other yummy goodies were kept in the shade. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Bushaka gulped down two glasses of juice and suddenly realised that his basket with the juicy mangoes were nowhere to be seen. "Kashimbu, Shimbuka, where are the mangoes? It's not here!" he cried.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">His friends came over to him and said that they can all look for it and asked Bushaka to "Please stop crying."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"But... they... are... my favourite..." he said between sobs and the tears left tyre like marks on his cheeks through all the dirt from all that playing they did.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Both Kashimbu and Shimbuka hugged him and Kashimbu said "Don't cry Bushaka, it will be here somewhere. You sit down here and we'll look for it."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Bushaka sat down and tried hard not to feel like his heart was heavy, tried hard to stop crying. His friends were jumping around all over the place looking for the missing picnic basket with juicy mangoes in it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Tee... heee... heee... heee..." a sound came from high up on the Peepal tree. Bushaka looked up and what did he see??</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Why? A little monkey sat on a branch and was laughing at Bushaka's friends who were jumping around looking for the </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">missing picnic basket with juicy mangoes in it</span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><b>What do monkeys do on trees? Let me see if you can show me...</b></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Hey you! Up there! Why are you laughing at my friends?" asked Bushaka.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Tee.. heee... heee... heee... you cry baby!" replied the little monkey.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"I lost my mangoes a while ago and was feeling sad. That's why I was crying. My name is Bushaka, not cry baby. You can call me by my name if you want to talk to me. What's your name?" said Bushaka feeling all strong and ready to stand up for himself.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Mangoes? <i><span style="color: #999999;">Yummydelicious!</span></i> They are my favourite too! Now I know how you felt and why you were crying. But your friends do look quite funny from up here, jumping around like that!" came the monkey's reply.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Well, they are searching for the missing mangoes. You still didn't tell me what your name is." said Bushaka, getting up and dusting himself off and wiping the tears off his face!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The monkey came down to a lower branch and whispered, "I will tell you my name but promise me you won't make fun of it? A lot of others who are not in my family always laugh and make fun of my name..."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"I promise!"</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"My name is Sundari, the Bandari." she replied.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"That is such a lovely rhyming name. Can we be friends, Sundari, the Bandari?" asked Bushaka.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Why, thank you. I think so too. And off course we can be friends. To prove it, let me climb up to the highest branch on this tree and look for your mangoes." and off she went climbing up swiftly swinging from one branch to the other as she went higher and higher.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"</span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's a little picnic basket with juicy mangoes in it!" shouted Bushaka so she could hear him.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">He heard Sundari, the Bandari's voice like it was coming from so far away, "I can see your </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">missing picnic basket with juicy mangoes in it!!"</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And then she yelled out some directions like, go left, move right, keep going straight, jump over the rock and some more confusing directions. Bushaka shouted out the directions to Shimbuka and Kashimbu till they found the </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">missing picnic basket with juicy mangoes in it with some mangoes fallen out of it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">They brought it under the Peepal tree and all four of them attacked the mangoes and ate them all up in no time, because by now, Sundari, the Bandari had become their friend too, you see. By the end of it, all of them had mango pulp all around their mouth and Bushaka had some over his nose and ears too!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And so, it was that Bushaka met Sundari, the Bandari who could climb the highest of the highest branch on any tree and had very sharp eyesight that could spot the </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">missing picnic basket with juicy mangoes in it!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sundari, the Bandari became such good friends with Bushaka and his friends that she even goes for an adventure to India with him... But that story is for another time!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: #666666; font-size: xx-small;">P.S:</span></span><br style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: #666666; font-size: xx-small;">Bushaka was born in 2007 as a playful little lion cub with adventure in his eyes and an attitude to make new friends and create fun games all the time. He was born to make my daughter's (Vedha, then 5yrs old) life a little more exciting than it already was. :)</span></span><br style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: #666666; font-size: xx-small;">A couple of Bushaka's friends, besides the new friend Sundari, the bandari introduced in this story, are <a href="http://amithasingh.blogspot.in/2013/07/bushaka-lion.html" target="_blank">Moshu, the cat</a> and <a href="http://amithasingh.blogspot.in/2013/07/bushaka-learns-kakaraku-hop-game.html" target="_blank">Kakaraku, the frog</a>.</span></span><br style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: #666666; font-size: xx-small;">Bushaka's early year stories are written as a read-aloud story for little kids.</span></span><br />
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Amitha Singhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00225895299473610610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34723684.post-28083659457940390742013-08-12T15:32:00.000+05:302013-08-12T15:32:04.509+05:30The Streets of Venice and Crete<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">This is a poem written by Vedha on 9th August 2013, as I was busy making Biryani to celebrate Eid. She wanted it posted on my Blog so she can be "world-famous" according to her! :)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There's someone I want to tell you about,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I might as well shout it all aloud.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Since there's no one around me,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I might as well let it all out,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So here goes:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We walked up the streets -</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Of Venice and Crete.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We went to a place,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To get something to eat.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We talked and laughed,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And we hugged and loved.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As huge as a heart,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We sat by the hearth.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- So that's what happened</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In Venice and Crete.</span><br />
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Amitha Singhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00225895299473610610noreply@blogger.com0